A medical student has denied being part of a 'large-scale' pot to supply cannabis from their digs, while two other stidents have admitted what they did.

Sobanan Narenthiran, 21, denies being part of the plot to supply the Class B drug, claiming friend and co-defendant Pratik Doshi used his phone to send drug-related messages without his knowledge.

Nigel Wraith, opening the case for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “The prosecution is that a small group of students from Plymouth University were involved in supplying cannabis on a reasonably large scale to a number of students and maybe other people from outside.”

He said police attended a shared house in Mildmay Street, Greenbank, on an unrelated matter on January 11, 2016, reports plymouthherald .

Mr Wraith said a Police Community Support Officer saw co-defendant Ali Arslan through a front window hiding something under a bed.

(Image: Stuart Abel)

He added that when officers entered they smelt a strong aroma of cannabis. Mr Wraith said police found a total of total of 175 grams of the drug worth just under £2,000 in bags inside two shoeboxes in the bedroom.

They also seized £1,150 in cash, digital scales and mobile phones.

Mr Wraith said 23-year-old Arslan, who lived in nearby Gibbon Lane, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis.

Doshi, also 21, who rented the room where the drugs were found, has also admitted the same charge.

The barrister added that police returned to the shared house on February 15 last year after examining the mobile phones.

Mr Wraith said text messages on Narenthiran’s phone showed he was involved in the supply of drugs. The medical student had lived in a bedroom close to his long-term friend Pratik Doshi.

He said Narenthiran claimed Doshi looked after his phone while he was studying – and used it to sell drugs.

Mr Wraith said: “We say is that Mr Narenthiran is seeking to rely on his old friend and we say partner-in-crime Mr Doshi to bail him out of trouble.”

Nursing student Arslan gave evidence to the court that he learnt Doshi and Narenthiran were selling cannabis in his first year at university.

He said he became friends with the pair in his second year, starting in September 2015, and pointed people he knew in their direction if they were looking for the drug.

He added that he witnessed the pair dealing cannabis.

Arslan added that he became a runner delivering drugs for Doshi and Narenthiran.

He said: “Sobanan Narenthiran was basically calling the shots.”

Sobanan Narenthiran denies dealing cannabis from his home

Asked what he received for running the drugs, Arslan said he received “gifts” of £20.

He added: “It progressed so that I was being paid £100 every week or every other week.”

Arslan added that he had decided to “come clean” and admit his role in the cannabis operation.

Under cross-examination, he admitted telling lies in is police interview.

But he denied playing down his own role in the drugs operation so he would receive a lesser sentence.

Narenthiran, now of Furzehill Road, Mutley, denies conspiracy to supply the Class B drug between September 2015 and January 2016.

He has also pleaded not guilty to offering to supply cannabis on September 25, 2015.